Sign letter mounts



Nov. 11, 1969 w. BANK SIGN LETTER MOUNTS Filed Nov. 28, 1967 nk/ Un wm m vm 7. G. mm F w HHH! ATTORNEY.

United States Patent O 3,477,159 SIGN LETTER MOUNTS William Bank, 3025 Ocean Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11235 Filed Nov. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 686,053

Int. Cl. G09f 7/18 U.S. Cl. 40-140 10 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A sign letter is provided with elongated fastener means one end of which is provided with a nut or other head means with said nut or head means being retained within a C-shaped bar secured to the rear face of the letter The other end of said fastener means is adapted to be forced into the desired supporting surface.

SPECIFICATION The present invention relates to signs whose letters are spaced forwardly from the wall or backing structure they are mounted on, and more particularly to the mounting means supporting them; each such mount including a stud extending from the rear face of the letter and driven into the backing; there being a plurality of such supporting means in spaced relation for each letter; said letters being of plastic or sheet metal, usually in a perimetrically tubular frame made of strip material.

Heretofore, this type of mount has proven to be objectionable in that nonidentical expansions and contractions occurring in said studs because of climatic conditions, and the stresses imposed on the studs during installation, have cracked or bent the letters, damaging them permanently.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide novel and improved mounts of the type described, which will avoid this damage.

A further object thereof is to provide novel and improved mounts of the character set forth, which need no machining, other than cutting short lengths from an extruded bar, which are then fitted with commercial metal parts. The assembly is sturdy, but not rigidly fixed. Further, the cross sectional shape of the extrusion is usually such that the plane of the letter will be parallel to the wall it is mounted on, or it may be of a cross sectional shape so that the plane of the letter shall be inc-lined to the wall, when such manner of mounting is desired.

A further object thereof is to provide a damage-avoiding mounting means of the character described, which will easily allow proper alignment of the studs extending from a sign letter, with the holes made in the wall to receive them, without causing permanent stresses in said studs.

A further object thereof is to provide sign letter mounts of the kind described, which are simple and cheap to make, easy to assemble and efficient in carrying out the purposes for which they are designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

For one practice of this invention, an extruded plastic bar is provided, which is cut into short lengths. The cross section of said extrusion is C-shaped, whereby the bar has a T-slot therealong. A commercial metal nut is inserted into the slot to lie against the back bar of the C-shape, and it is in good frictional fit. The assembly is sturdy, but not rigidly fixed. Threaded studs extend from the nuts. The extruded pieces are cemented to the back surface of the letter. The distal ends of the studs are then forcetted into holes in the wall which are prepared to receive them. Modified embodiments will be set forth and explained.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this speci- A 3,477,159 Patented Nov. ll, 1969 fication, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a mounted sign letter utilizing mounting means embodying teachings of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section taken at line 2 2 in FIG. I. Here, the mounting means comprises a short piece cut from a plastic extruded bar, a standard metal nut and a threaded metal stud.

FIG. 3 is a section of said mounting means taken at line 3--3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a section taken at line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section of a plastic extrusion of slightly modified construction.

FIG. 6 is a heightwise section of a sign letter employing mounts according to this invention; the pieces of extruded bar used herein, being another modified form, which cause the letter to be mounted in inclines relation with respect to the wall. This view is fragmentary.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of another form of stud, shown in perspective.

In the drawing, the numeral 15 designates a sign letter comprised of a letter form, for instance the llat T-form shown, cut from opaque plastic plate material, designated by the numeral 16, which is within a circumferential frame 18 which is bent around the letter form and made of strip material having a bent-in flange 17 against which said letter rests. A piece 19, cut from an extruded plastic bar of C-shaped cross section whereby a T-slot 20 is formed therealong, is cemented to the back face of the letter 16 so the back of the C-form is against the letter. A standard metal nut 21 is forced into said s-lot to have frictional, but not rigid security hold therein. A threaded stud 22 has one of its ends threadedly engaged in the nut and extends laterally out of said slot to the wall 23, where its other end is force-fitted into a hole 24, initially prepared in said wall. This invention contemplates that the letter 16 is supported by a plurality of such mounting means 25, and hence for each of such means, the back of the letter carries a Ilength 19 cut from the extruded bar. As shown in FIG. 1, the letter T has four of same.

The laying out of the hole positions on the wall, for the studs 22 extending from the back of the letter, is understandably not done with absolute precision. So upon forcing the distal ends of said studs into such holes, would cause the studs to bend in nonparallel directions. Heretofore, said studs being .rigidly connected to the letter, such bending caused the letter 16 to crack if of plastic, or to bend if of sheet metal. With the present mounting means as taught herein, such bending of the studs does not occur, for any lateral shift thereof ordinarily occurring, would be taken up by the possible movement of the nuts 21 in the C-pieces 19. Any expansions or contractions of the studs, due to the climatic conditions they may be subjected to, are likewise taken up by nut movement. In this manner, the letters are maintained free from being damaged. The nuts are preferably hexagonal or square, so opposite parallel edges thereof conform with the tracks offered by the T-slots in the pieces 19. Some sign makes may nd that because of the uniformity of their constructions, an integrally headed shank as shown in FIG. 7 may be used instead of the nut and threaded shank. It is to be noted however, that if the stresses set up in any stud is torsional, the use of the nut will allow possible movement of the threaded shank therein, and thus tend to neutralize such condition. For the sign maker to be able to make mountings with different stud lengths, it is most practical to use the embodiments using the nuts, for then with a supply of threaded stud rods, nuts and extruded bar material, he can always easily make mounting means to suit any required installation.

When the back bar wall 26 of the C-shape is of uniform thickness as in the extruded length 19, it is evident that the letter when mounted on a wall will be in a plane parallel to the wall. For installations where it is desired to have the letter inclined to the wall as in FIG. 6, an angle A, then the surfaces of the back wall of the C- shape 19', are made in such angular relation, and of course, the lengths of the shanks 22', 22" shall be made to suit.

To facilitate the assembly of the nut with the plastic extruded length, it is advisable to include as in 19, the longitudinal ribs 27, one pair on each of the opposite internal faces, opposite each other respectively; the distance between opposite pairs to be somewhat less than the distance between opposite edges of the nut, so the sharp apices of the ribs will be fiattened by entry of the nut into the T-slot, or bent. The studs or Shanks 22 are made of a length to accomplish any distance B from the wall 23., from zero upwards as may be desired.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiments and description herein given shall be deemed illustrative and not restrictive, and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to the following claims rather than to the specific showing herein to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In a mounting means for a substantially fiat sign letter, of the type wherein a stud extends rearwardly therefrom into a wall, comprising a member of generally C- shaped cross section whereby a T-slot exists therealong, an elongated stud having an element serving as a head at one end thereof; said head being within said slot against the back bar wall of the C-shape; said stud extending laterally from said member and outward of said slot; said head element being frictionally fitted in said slot and capable of being forced along said slot; the outer surface of said back bar wall of the C-shape being adapted for securement onto the rear face of the letter.

2. A sign letter mounting means as `defined in claim 1, wherein said head element is a nut in threaded engagement with the stud.

3. A sign letter mounting means as defined in claim 1, wherein said stud and head are integral.

4. A sign letter mounting means as defined in claim 1, wherein the back bar wall of the C-shape is of uniform thickness whereat the head element is against said wall.

5. A sign letter mounting means as defined in claim 1, wherein the surfaces of the back bar wall of the C-shape are in angular relation.

6. A sign letter mounting means as defined in claim 1, wherein said member has a plurality of spaced longitudinal ribs integral therewith within said T-slot; said head element distorting said ribs.

7. A sign letter mounting means as defined in claim 1, wherein said member is a length cut from an extruded bar.

8. A sign letter mounting means as defined in claim 7, wherein said bar is of plastic material.

9. A sign letter mounting means as defined in claim 1, including a substantially at sign letter and at least one additional identical mounting means; the said members of all said means having a C-shaped cross section, being secured in spaced relation on the rear surface of said sign letter whereby the studs extend in parallel relation, rearwardly of said sign letter.

10. The structure defined in claim 9, wherein the sign letter and said members are of plastic; said members being cemented to said letter and said members being lengths cut from an extruded bar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 333,303 12/ 1885 Howard 40-143 2,211,937 8/ 1940 Register 40-140 3,063,199 11/ 1962 Marcin 40-143 3,404,476 10/ 1968 Hoffman 40-142 FOREIGN PATENTS 504,565 7/ 1951 Belgium.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner WENCESLAO J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner 

